A Pataki Mystery

A reader was puzzled by the discrepancy between reports in the Times and in New York Magazine on Governor Pataki’s counter-terror subway ride last week:

New York: “After the press conference with Governor George Pataki, the mayor walked to the Lex (Pataki entered through a gate held open by one of his bodyguards; Bloomberg swiped a MetroCard) for a ride to City Hall.”

New York Times: “Down below, Mr. Pataki pulled out a MetroCard and tried to swipe it through the turnstile. It didn’t work. Instead, the governor encountered that all-too-familiar message, ‘Please swipe again.’ He obliged. This time it worked.”